Vancouver, B.C. – Attracting some of the best minds in digital design and media just got easier with the launch of the new Centre for Digital Media at Great Northern Way Campus (GNWC). The Centre for Digital Media has been occupied since August 20, 2012 but celebrates its official launch on September 21.

The 51,000-sq. ft. building combines social, learning and student residential space for the Masters of Digital Media (MDM) program. Located next to the existing Centre on the False Creek Flats, adjacent to Great Northern Way, the mixed-use facility provides state-of-the-art classrooms and studios, along with three floors (76 units) of student designated rental housing. The building meets LEED Gold certification.

“This incredible facility is the new home of the next generation of digital media leaders,” said MDM Director Dr. Richard Smith. “Every time I enter this building I feel like I step into the future; a future created by the highly skilled graduates of our digital media school.”

As a purpose-built digital media hub, the new facility marks a major step in fulfilling GNWC's vision to bring academia, industry, and the local community together in Vancouver. The site is a collaborative mix of campus and commercial activities, jointly owned by the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the Emily Carr University of Art + Design, and the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Said Dr. Smith: “This new building is a catalyst to make Great Northern Way Campus a central piece of Vancouver and British Columbia’s digital economy. I think I can safely say, having seen the excitement on the faces of our students, we are off to a great start. We are fortunate to have the ongoing support of the local community, the provincial government and the City of Vancouver on this project and we are very grateful for that.”

The Masters of Digital Media program was established in September 2007 with an inaugural cohort of 21 students; over 120 students have since graduated. MDM alumni are engaged in industry as producers, managers, creators and lead designers, using MDM acquired skills to benefit the digital media community. The program attracts students around British Columbia and the world, and in five short years has seen many graduates experience success in the digital media industry. For more information on the MDM program, please visit http://theCDM.ca.